Stephen Gostkowski

Bill Belichick is more cold-blooded than a loan shark. When performance and/or the salary cap dictate, players are excused, no matter their credentials.

Wes Welker, Lawyer Milloy, Mike Vrabel, Richard Seymour and Adam Vinatieri are among the headliners. They helped Belichick's New England Patriots win Super Bowls and build a dynasty, but when the time came, business trumped sentiment.

Jerod Mayo may be the next example.

A linebacker from Hampton's Kecoughtan High, Mayo has spent his entire professional career with New England. He's a perennial captain, two-time Pro Bowl selection and was the 2008 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Among the current roster, only...

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